Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed having a fixing unit having a heating device, for heat fixing, a heating power supply section which is connected to the fixing unit to supply electric power supplied from a commercial power supply to the heating device, a voltage detecting section for detecting a value of voltage supplied to the heating power supply section from the commercial power supply, and a control section that stops a supply of electric power to the heating device from the heating power supply section if a first voltage value is smaller than a standard voltage value, while, compares a second voltage value detected by the voltage detecting section after the lapse of the standard time with the standard voltage value, and conducts control to stop operations for image forming if the second voltage value is smaller than the standard voltage value.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an image printing apparatus having a fixing control section which controls a fixing unit for fixing a toner image on a paper sheet by applying pressure and heat. The image printing apparatus of this invention includes, in the fixing control section, an interface which can receive data from an external data input device so as to shorten the warmup time of the fixing unit and perform direct instructing operation from the data input device to the fixing-unit.

Abstract: In a fixing device of an image forming apparatus including a heating roller and a temperature detecting device spaced apart from the roller, having a first sensor for detecting the surface temperature of the roller, and a second sensor for detecting the ambient temperature, the first sensor being placed at a first position in a casing having an opening through which the heat radiation of the roller is directly incident and the second sensor being enclosed by the casing and placed at a second position to which the heat radiation of the roller is not directly incident, the temperature is calculated on the basis of the outputs of the two sensors, and the opening is disposed so as not to enter a region between the vertical plane containing the central axis of the roller and a tangential plane to the circumferential surface of the roller parallel to the vertical plane.

Abstract: There is described an operation panel, which is detachably or movably mounted onto an image-forming apparatus, and which includes a data-inputting section to input operational data necessary for operating the image-forming apparatus and/or a displaying section to display status information of the image-forming apparatus. The operation panel comprises: a circuit board, on which electronic parts are mounted; a supporting member to support the circuit board, the data-inputting section and/or the displaying section, so as to integrate them into a single unit serving as the operation panel; a signal line, through which electronic signals are communicated between the operation panel and the image-forming section; and a conductive member for directly grounding at least one of the data-inputting section, the displaying section and the circuit board to a conductive main-frame of the image-forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet feeding section for conveying a sheet for image formation, a stepping motor for driving the sheet feeding section, and a controller for controlling operation of the stepping motor. The controller includes a current value setting section. The current value setting section sets a current value that actuates the stepping motor based on sheet information obtained through at least one section selected from a thickness detecting section, size detecting section, and paper quality detecting section. The thickness detecting section detects a thickness of the sheet. The size detecting section detects a size of the sheet. The paper quality detecting section detects a paper quality of the sheet.

Abstract: There is described an operation panel, which is detachably or movably mounted onto an image-forming apparatus, and which includes a data-inputting section to input operational data necessary for operating the image-forming apparatus and/or a displaying section to display status information of the image-forming apparatus. The operation panel comprises: a circuit board, on which electronic parts are mounted; a supporting member to support the circuit board, the data-inputting section and/or the displaying section, so as to integrate them into a single unit serving as the operation panel; a signal line, through which electronic signals are communicated between the operation panel and the image-forming section; and a conductive member for directly grounding at least one of the data-inputting section, the displaying section and the circuit board to a conductive main-frame of the image-forming apparatus.